ldif \- LDAP Data Interchange Format
.SH DESCRIPTION
The LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIF) is used to represent LDAP
-entries in text form. The
-.BR ldif2ldbm (8)
-tools can be used to convert from LDIF format to the LDBM format
-used by
-.BR slapd (8).
-The
-.BR ldbmcat (8)
-tool can be used to do the reverse conversion. See "The SLAPD and
-SLURPD Administrator's Guide" for more information on this format and
-the conversion tools.
+entries in text form. LDAP tools, such as
+.BR ldapadd (1)
+and
+.BR ldapsearch (1),
+read and write LDIF.
.LP
The basic form of an LDIF entry is:
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- [<id>]
dn: <distinguished name>
<attrtype>: <attrvalue>
<attrtype>: <attrvalue>
+ <attrtype>:: <base64-encoded-value>
+ <attrtype>:< <URL>
...
.ft
.fi
.LP
-where <id> is the optional entry ID (a positive decimal number).
-Normally, you would not supply the <id>, allowing the database creation
-tools to do that for you. The
-.BR ldbmcat (8)
-program, however, produces an LDIF format that includes <id> so that
-new indexes created will be consistent with the existing database. A
-line may be continued by starting the next line with a single space or
-tab character, e.g.,
+The value may be specified as ASCII text or as base64 encoded data,
+or a URL may be provided to the location of the attribute value.
+.LP
+A line may be continued by starting the next line with a single space
+or tab, e.g.,
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen, o=University of Michi
- gan, c=US
+ dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen, dc=Open
+ LDAP, dc=org
.ft
.fi
.LP
.ft
.fi
.LP
-If an <attrvalue> contains a non-printing character, or begins with a
-space or a colon ':', the <attrtype> is followed by a double colon and
-the value is encoded in base 64 notation. e.g., the value " begins with
-a space" would be encoded like this:
+If an value contains a non-printing character, or begins
+with a space or a colon ':', the <attrtype> is followed by a
+double colon and the value is encoded in base 64 notation. e.g.,
+the value " begins with a space" would be encoded like this:
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
.ft
.fi
.LP
+If the attribute value is located in a file, the <attrtype> is
+followed by a ':<' and a file:// URL. e.g., the value contained
+in the file /tmp/value would be listed like this:
+.LP
+.nf
+.ft tt
+ cn:< file://tmp/value
+.ft
+.fi
+.LP
Multiple entries within the same LDIF file are separated by blank
lines.
.SH EXAMPLE
.LP
.nf
.ft tt
- dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen, o=University of Michi
- gan, c=US
+ dn: cn=Barbara J Jensen, dc=OpenLDAP, dc=Org
cn: Barbara J Jensen
cn: Babs Jensen
objectclass: person
+ description:< file://tmp/barbara
sn: Jensen
- dn: cn=Bjorn J Jensen, o=University of Michi
- gan, c=US
+ dn: cn=Bjorn J Jensen, dc=OpenLDAP, dc=Org
cn: Bjorn J Jensen
cn: Bjorn Jensen
objectclass: person
sn: Jensen
- dn: cn=Jennifer J Jensen, o=University of Michi
- gan, c=US
+ dn: cn=Jennifer J Jensen, dc=OpenLDAP, dc=Org
cn: Jennifer J Jensen
cn: Jennifer Jensen
objectclass: person
base 64.
.SH SEE ALSO
.BR ldap (3),
-.BR slapd (8),
-.BR ldif2ldbm (8),
-.BR ldbmcat (8)
+.BR ldapsearch (1),
+.BR ldapadd (1)
.LP
"The SLAPD and SLURPD Administrator's Guide"
.SH ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS